Built-in lighting unit



Patented Oct. 22, 1940 J. Harris, New York, N'JYJ, assignors to Holo-' 1 phane Company, Inc., Ncw Yoi-k, N. Y.,' acorporation of Delaware Application July 19, 1938, Serial-No. 220,012

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to built-inlighting units, and is more particularly directed toward lamp boxes and lighting units adapted to be recessed in plastered ceilings.

Lamp boxes designed for recessed mounting and for the support of louver screens, glass plates and the like have generally been provided with a frame about the opening and another hinged framefor supporting the screen. This exposed 10 material in some locations is deemed to be unsightly. and for small units adds considerably to the cost of the unit.

The present invention contemplates lighting units of the type referred to which have no ex- 16 posed frame about the lamp box, orv about the screen, and no hinge, but wherein the screen is easily removable.

- The present invention also contemplates the installation of recessed lighting units wherein the 90 entire unit may be readily secured in place in an opening provided in the ceiling lath. The unit is so designed that when it is secured to the'lath it is automatically placed with its opening the right distance below the lath so as to be at the plaster 35 line, and plaster beading is provided to form a plaster ground so that when the ceiling is plastered the plastering can be carried over to the plaster beading forming a proper finish.

The accompanying drawing shows, for purpose 30 of illustrating the present invention, several em- .Figure 2 is an inverted elevational view of .the lighting unit with parts in section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional enlarged scale; and

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary views illusview of an 5 trating modifications.

In Figure -1 the floor joists are indicated at III, the rough flooring at H and lath at. I2. Any form of lath may be used. This lath is preferably reinforced by a rectangular frame indicated 50 atl3."

This frame accommodates a lamp housing ll of suitable size and convenient shape. It is here shown in the form of a square box having a top wall l5 and side walls l6, l1, l8 and IS. The

55 lower portions of the side walls 16 and I8 are pro- (cram-4s) vided with inwardly. extending; oblique flanges 22, while the lower portions of' thesidenwal-lsl'l and? .are' provided; with inwardly extending: obiiqueflanges 2| whichrstart ata higher elevation than, the flanges 20. Theseflanges provide'a square 6 opening. The flanges 20 are received in alength of plaster beading 22, one portion of whiohextendsr up along the inside ofthe housing'andis' spot. welded to it, as indicated at. 23.1 Thezother 'por tion of-the plaster beading extends outwardly 10- and upwardly as indicated in-the-adrawing, The-- obliqueflanges 2| receive another length of plas-- ter beading, indicated .at 24. This .is preferably. bent over so as to lie close to the'box wall, as-indicated at the righthand sidezof Figure .1, and is spot welded to it as indicatedat'.2 5.:. It'hasr an outwardly and upwardly-extending portion as shown at the right of Figure 1.

These four lengths of 'plaster beading form-a rectangular finishing opening 26 which is offset from the center of the housing and spaced a -pre-'- determined distance below' the lath; They, are secured to the lath I2 and'to the frame l3 .by" nails indicatedat 21. This'permanently and definitely locates the lamp housingwith respect tothe plaster line, and when the plaster isapplied, as indicated at 28, it passes up through the" holes 29in the plaster beading and is securely anchored to it.

The-lamp housing is provided with a lamp socket, indicated at 30, which carries a'lamp'bulb 3| with the light center preferably over the center of the opening 26, and a small reflector 32 is carried by the top of I the lamp housing above the lamp bulb. The opening 26 1s closed by a light transmitting screen which may beof various forms. In Figure 1 it is shown as a flatprismatic platet33. Instead of. a prismatic plate one could, of course, usea diffusing plate, if the light controlling features ofthe prismatic plate were not required. In Figure 4-'it is shown as a cellular louver screen 34, while in Figurefi it is shown in the form'of a shallow light transmitting dish 35 having transparent portions, indicated at 36, and enamelled wallsindicatedat 31.

These light transmitting screefis rest on the plaster beading as indicated, and can be removed and reinserted into the box very easily. To remove the plate 33 shown in Figure 1 it is merely necessary to slide it to the left and up, as indicated in the dotted position; and then'turn. it. sidewise so that it can bebrought to such a position that it will pass down through the opening 26. The other screens may be" removed in a similar manner.

- from the opening and being secured to the lath to locate the plane of the opening below the plane of the lath, plaster covering the lath and the plaster beading, a lamp in the housing, and a light transmitting screen disposed across the housing opening.

2. In combination, a lathed'ceiling having an aperture. a frame about the aperture and above the lath, a downwardly opening lamp housing disposed in theapertured ceiling and secured to the frame and having plaster beading todefine the" contour of its opening, the plaster beading extending outwardly from the opening and being secured to the lath to locate the plane of the opening below the planeof the lath, plaster covering the lath and the plaster beading, a lamp in the housing, and a light transmitting screen disposed across the housing opening.

3. In combination, a lathed ceiling having an aperture, -a downwardly opening, rectangular lamp housing disposed in the apertured ceiling and having downwardly and inwardly converging -edges,-strips.o1' plaster beading secured to the edges of the housing to define a, rectangular opening, the plaster beading extending outwardly Item the opening and being secured to the lath to locate the plane of the opening below the plane of the lath, plaster covering the lath and the plaster-heading. a lamp in the housing, and a light transmittingscreen disposed across the housing'opening.

4. In combination, a lathed ceiling having a rectangular aperture, a. rectangular frame-about the aperture and above the-lath, a downwardly opening, rectangular lamp housing disposed in the apertured ceiling and securedto the frame and having downwardly and inwardly converging edges, strips of plaster beading secured to the edges of the housing to define a rectangular opening, the plaster beading extending outwardly from the opening and being secured to the lath to locate the plane of the opening below the plane of the lath, plaster covering the lath and the plaster beading, a lamp in the housing, and a light transmitting screen disposed across the housing opening.

5. In combination, a lathed ceiling having a rectangular aperture, a downwardly opening, rectangular lamp housing disposed in the apertured ceiling and having plaster beading to define a rectangular opening with its center ofiset with respect to the center of the housing, the

' plaster beading extending outwardly from the opening and being secured to the lath to locate the plane of the opening below the plane of the lath, plaster covering the lath and the plaster beading, a lamp socket secured to the side of the housing remote from the opening and disposed over the center of the opening, a lamp in the socket and a light transmitting prismatic plate within the ceiling structure, said portions being perforated to receive and support plaster extending to the finished opening, and a light source within said housing above said opening;

7. A lighting unit as in claim 6, wherein the 1 housing has inwardly extending oblique flanges thehouslngy';

8. A lighting, unit-as in claim 6, wherein the so that the. openingis smaller than the body of ing oblique flanges so that the opening is smaller than the body of thehousing and the flanges a housing is rectangular and has inwardly extend- 

